VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Costco Wholesale Corporation vs The Progressive Corporation

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Costco Wholesale Corporation

COST · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$388.7B
Gross margin (TTM)12.9%
Operating margin (TTM)3.8%
Net margin (TTM)3%
SectorConsumer
IndustryDiscount Stores
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
80/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Costco Wholesale Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View COST analysis

The Progressive Corporation

PGR · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$124.8B
Gross margin (TTM)26.3%
Operating margin (TTM)15.9%
Net margin (TTM)12.6%
SectorFinancials
IndustryInsurance - Property & Casualty
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-04
Moat score
75/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into The Progressive Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View PGR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Costco Wholesale Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 75 / 100 for The Progressive Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 segments (98.1% in Warehouse club retail); The Progressive Corporation has 2 segments (85% in Personal Lines).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Costco Wholesale Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; The Progressive Corporation has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

Costco Wholesale Corporation

Warehouse club retail

Market

Membership warehouse club retail (warehouse clubs, ancillary services, and e-commerce)

Geography

Global

Customer

Households and small businesses

Role

Retailer (membership club)

Revenue share

98.1%

The Progressive Corporation

Personal Lines

Market

U.S. private passenger auto insurance (dominant) plus specialty personal lines and homeowners/renters (small portion)

Geography

United States

Customer

Individuals/households

Role

Primary insurer (P&C)

Revenue share

85%

Side-by-side metrics

Costco Wholesale Corporation
The Progressive Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
COST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
PGR - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$388.7B
$124.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
12.9%
26.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
3.8%
15.9%
Net margin (TTM)
3%
12.6%
Sector
Consumer
Financials
Industry
Discount Stores
Insurance - Property & Casualty
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Warehouse club retail
Personal Lines
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
16.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational ExcellenceBrand Trust

Costco Wholesale Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostNegative Working CapitalHabit DefaultFloat Prepayment

The Progressive Corporation strengths

Learning Curve YieldService Field NetworkSuite Bundling

Segment mix

Costco Wholesale Corporation segments

Full profile >

Warehouse club retail

Oligopoly

98.1%

Membership fees (subscription)

Oligopoly

1.9%

The Progressive Corporation segments

Full profile >

Personal Lines

Oligopoly

85%

Commercial Lines

Competitive

15%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.